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Cloud Release: Cloud Step
is a technique that enables flight. Possibly one of the most unique and powerful uses of Cloud Release, by imbuing clouds within the body of the user, they are capable of taking to the skies, floating effortlessly above the ground. Unlike , this technique is considered to be one of true flight, and the user has incredible maneuverability, able to move freely without difficulty or hindrance. Altitude is limited only by how high one can breathe or withstand travelling through different zones of atmospheric pressure, and as such training is needed in order to increase the height at which one can fly. Surprisingly, however, flight can be maintained for seemingly endless periods of time without undue effort, although if the user tries to carry another person or other heavy object they can quickly tire and be forced to land, depending on the strength of the flier. Cloud Step can also be used to glide, float, and stand in mid-air, and as such it is an incredibly versatile technique. It is named for the effect of small clouds that are created every time a user takes a step, the result of projecting the inner cloud for fine movement, and trail behind their lower legs gracefully. Techniques *'Cloud Step, Jetstream:' (雲歩・ジェット気流; Unho, Jettokiryū) Jet streams are fast flowing, narrow air currents found in the atmosphere. Their paths are typically long and meandering, and can flow in various directions. As a result of thermal air relation between two masses of air with differing temperatures, the balance of forces between atmospheric pressure and gravity is hydrostatic. Tapping into both this balance or effect and the direction or flow of the wind itself, Cloud Release users are capable of travelling through the air at extremely fast speeds. As the majority of these jet streams are found near the tropopause, they must fly extremely high in order to tap into them. As such this is an excellent method of rapid transportation from one geographical point to another, but is not practical for combat. It also takes some time to tap into the current, as the user must increase their speed gradually until they can match and utilize the flow. *'Cloud Step, Wind Shear:' (雲歩・逆風; Unho, gyakufū, lit. “head wind”) This is a technique similar to the jetstream in that it utilizes preexisting charged currents of air in order to move at high speed. These currents, however, consist of a difference of wind speed and direction over short distances, and are much closer to if not at ground level. The currents are typically horizontal, although they can be broken down vertically, meaning the user can travel either across the surface of the earth or ascend into the sky with some level of versatility. They can move at incredibly high speeds over short distances, change direction rapidly, and generally outmaneuver opponents in combat. While at first the technique may seem imprecise as it utilizes pre-existing air currents, by applying a static charge to the atmosphere around them as well as redirecting their own path with Cloud Step, the user can direct their movements with a high degree of skill, although it does take a significant amount of experience to master. There is one significant disadvantage to the technique, however, as each movement is accompanied by a microburst of force as the user enters a current, and this is accompanied by a loud sonic boom. While this does not typically give away the user’s position, it can clue the opponent in to the direction they take, and it is also unsuitable for stealth missions. It should be noted that this technique should not be confused with an actual wind shear, which would be an application of Cloud Release: Weather Manipulation.